The visfatin (PBEF1) G-948T gene polymorphism is associated with increased high-density lipoprotein cholesterol in obese subjects.
The newly discovered adipokine visfatin has been hypothesized to be related to obesity and insulin resistance. In this study, we investigate if the 2 single nucleotide polymorphisms rs4730153 and G-948T are associated with obesity and/or related traits and whether they influence the messenger RNA (mRNA) levels of PBEF1 (originally the abbreviation for pre-B-cell colony-enhancing factor 1) in visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissue (VAT and SAT). We found that obese carriers of the PBEF1 G-948T variant allele had significantly higher levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (GG, 1.1 [0.97-1.3] mmol/L; GT + TT, 1.3 [1.0-1.5] mmol/L; P = .02). Other than that, neither rs4730153 nor G-948T had any major impact on any of the obesity-related phenotypes. There was no difference in mRNA expression between VAT and SAT (2.08 +/- 0.17 and 2.09 +/- 0.14, respectively; P = .26), but there was a nonsignificant trend toward higher PBEF1 mRNA levels in the variant allele carriers concerning both VAT and SAT for both single nucleotide polymorphisms. A significant correlation was observed between body mass index and PBEF1 mRNA expression in SAT (R = 0.37, P = .03) but not in VAT (R = 0.26, P = .12). In conclusion, PBEF1 G-948T is associated with increased high-density lipoprotein cholesterol; but genetic variation in PBEF1 does not seem to have a major impact on the development of obesity or on the expression of the gene.
Johansson
Lina M
LM
Department of Clinical Sciences Malmö, Clinical Obesity, Lund University, University Hospital MAS, 205 02 Malmö, Sweden. lina.johansson@med.lu.se
Johansson
Lovisa E
LE
Ridderstråle
Martin
M
D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D050152:Intra-Abdominal Fat / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D054409:Nicotinamide Phosphoribosyltransferase / Q000235:genetics*; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D050151:Subcutaneous Fat / Q000378:metabolism
D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D016207:Cytokines; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D054409:Nicotinamide Phosphoribosyltransferase; C085455:nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase, human